Carson Kutsch, D.D.S. P.C.

Simplify

admin — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:08:38 +0000

I am reading a book right now by Blake Mycoskie called “Start Something That Matters.” This book is written by the guy who started the Tom’s shoe company. Tom’s shoe company donates a pair of shoes to somebody in need every time you buy a pair of shoes. The entire company started on the philosophy of trying to do something more than just sell shoes. In this book, Blake discusses the idea of simplicity. How many things do we have that we don’t even use? How much does clutter become more time consuming and energy draining than what it is even worth? His whole idea is to eliminate the things in your life that you don’t use or don’t need in order to free up your mind, time, energy and financial resources. It is amazing today how much “stuff” we have compared to 100 years ago. Are we any happier? We do the same thing in our dental practice. What are we storing that we don’t use and we are always having to work or look around in order to use what we actually need? Excess just gets in the way and doesn’t help us to do a better job or have better enjoyment out of life. What can you do to simplify your own life? Dr. Carson Kutsch Albany Oregon Family Dentist www.drkutsch.com

What digital pictures do we take in dentistry?

admin — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:05:09 +0000

Digital imaging is a significant portion of what we do in our dental practice. Three of the primary images we take are intraoral photos (photographs of the teeth), digital impressions (images of the teeth for making crowns) and digital x rays. We take intraoral pictures of the teeth every time you have a comprehensive exam, which is generally every 3-4 years. The pictures allow us to objectively look at your teeth over time and be able to determine things like wear and tear or the condition of existing dental work. They also enable us to answer a lot of questions for patients over the phone since we can see exactly what they are talking about. This often saves our patients time and cost. Digital impressions are used by our CEREC computer to create dental crowns. Rather than a mouth full of “goopy” impression material, we can take an image of the tooth and make the crown in the same appointment. Finally, we have the latest generation of digital x rays. They require minimal exposure to radiation and provide a significantly better image than previous digital x rays. With the help of computer technology, digital imaging helps our practice to provide better care to our patients and our own families. Dr. Carson Kutsch Albany Oregon Family Dentist www.drkutsch.com

Laughter!

admin — Mon, 14 May 2012 14:03:59 +0000

We are on week nine of our team building workshop and this week’s theme is laughter. Laughter is characterized by fun, humor, playfulness and enjoyment. How do you rate places that you visit, whether it be a restaurant or even a dental office, when you can tell that the people working there are actually having fun? Generally, people who are laughing are also happy. It’s okay to take your profession seriously but you can also have a sense of humor about it. On our team, we have six people with varying personality types but one thing that do a lot is laugh and have fun. It is often during a small team meeting or lunch that we find ourselves laughing hysterically about ourselves and life. We love what we do. We love our patient family. We take our service in dentistry very seriously but we try not to always take ourselves too serious. Laughter is contagious and smiling with your fellow team members can make even the toughest days great! Dr. Carson Kutsch Albany Oregon Family Dentist www.drkutsch.com

Digital dentures?

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 14:05:36 +0000

Patients in our practice who have had a crown are familiar with our ability to take digital impressions (molds/models) and make the crown during the same appointment. This is called CAD/CAM dentistry and we use a technology called the “Cerec.” A similar process can now be used to make dentures. While we still have to take an actual impression, the denture is now made by a computer and eliminates several steps that introduce error. The digitally made denture is more accurate, fits better, has less risk of gum tissue allergies, and it takes less time. Over the past 10 years, computers have really become center stage in the world of dentistry as we can provide better care in fewer trips to the dental office. Dr. Carson Kutsch Albany Oregon Family Dentist www.drkutsch.com

What are you really brushing?

admin — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:11:05 +0000

Most dentists recommend brushing your teeth at least twice per day and flossing once. Depending upon your risk for decay or gum disease, some people could do it more and some less. However, when you brush your teeth, the most important area to reach with your toothbrush is the junction between your teeth and your gums. Brushing your teeth has more to do with overall gum (periodontal) health than preventing cavities. Thus, make sure when you brush that you are always getting the sides of your teeth including along the gum line with a soft toothbrush in a gentle manner. Obviously, you can brush the top of your tooth as well. If you haven’t done this before, expect some bleeding in the gum tissue while you brush. This is completely normal. However, continue this new habit and the gum tissue will become healthy and bleeding should decrease. If not, consult with your dentist. Consequently, brushing is just as much about brushing your teeth as it is brushing the gumline around your teeth. Dr. Carson Kutsch Albany Oregon Family Dentist www.drkutsch.com

Our theme for this week is “helping.”

admin — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:05:22 +0000

Helping is the act of aiding, supporting and pitching in. On our dental team, every individual has a specific role but we are all capable of doing things that overlap each other’s normal duties. Having a team means that when we have the chance we look for opportunities that we can do to help somebody else with what they are doing. After all, we show up at the same time and we leave at the same time. Whatever happens between those two times can either be done individually or as one unified team. What I have found is that when I make an extra effort to help those around me without them even asking, they do exactly the same thing for me and it helps us to work together toward our common goal of providing the best experience for our patients. Take the opportunity this week to help somebody around you without them asking. Whether it’s your work, Albany, or the World….we are all in this together. Dr. Carson Kutsch Albany Oregon Family Dentist www.drkutsch.com

Our little baby girl is now running!

admin — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:13:37 +0000

It’s amazing how much can change with our daughter within a matter of a couple days. One day she isn’t walking and the next day she is walking all over the house. What fascinates me the most about little kids is that they really have no idea of what they can do or what they can’t do. My daughter seems to think she can walk down our stairs the same way that I do even thought her legs are shorter than my arms. I read a lot about innovative people and a common theme that I notice is that they set out to accomplish something impossible even though everyone told them that it couldn’t be done. At some point in our lives we seem to start listening to all of the things people tell us that “can’t be done.” However, as kids, when we had no idea, we at least tried the impossible. It can also come from our own heads with thoughts like “I can’t do that” or “I won’t be able to do this.” Pick a goal and don’t let these thoughts control you. In many cases there are people out there that have already accomplished what you want to do….ask them how they did it. You’re going to win some and you’re going to lose some but life is more enjoyable if you spend less time listening to the people who only tell you what you “can’t do.” Dr. Carson Kutsch Albany Oregon Family Dentist www.drkutsch.com

Adding value

admin — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:16:25 +0000

Adding value, or giving more than expected and going above and beyond is our motto for this week. It’s easy to go through life and do exactly what is expected of you, however, sometimes it takes a conscious effort to do more than what is expected. My favorite people and places are those that absolutely go above and beyond to make your experience something special and unique. It might be as simple as that they always remember your name and know what you like to order at your local coffee shop. It could be that the person who sold you a certain item calls you later to ensure that you are enjoying your purchase. Recently, I bought a dental item online. I didn’t receive all of my order and what I did receive was broken. The online company went out of their way to return all of the items and completely redo the order to ensure that I was 100% satisfied. In today’s World, it is almost sad that we routinely expect bad customer service, automated phone services with no one on the other line, and a bunch of policies to justify our bad treatment. Don’t let this jade you. Try to find ways to add value to the lives of the people around you. I believe that if you live how you would like to be treated you will be increasingly surrounded by the same kind of people. Have a wonderful Tuesday! Dr. Carson Kutsch Albany Oregon Family Dentist www.drkutsch.com

What’s the story with dental implants?

admin — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:11:27 +0000

Dental implants allow us to replace missing teeth with something that looks and feels very natural. Prior to implants, if a patient lost a tooth, we had to crown the adjacent teeth and connect them together with a “bridge.” This procedure works well but created unnecessary dental work on the neighboring teeth. A dental implant is placed into the bone in the space of the missing tooth. Then a tooth is built on top of the implant. This procedure is now more popular than bridges and gives us a more conservative and predictable outcome. Just as with any product, there are as many brands of implants as there are automobiles. Basically, there is Nobel Biocare, the largest implant manufacturer in the World and there is everyone else. Considering that implant companies have been started and folded just since I have been practicing, and the implants we place will be with a patient for their lifetime, in our dental practice we exclusively place Nobel implants since they are the market leader and have been around the longest. Dental implants offer a tremendous benefit in dentistry to help our patients replace teeth but more importantly their ability to eat, speak and smile! Dr. Carson Kutsch Albany Oregon Family Dentist www.drkutsch.com

It’s possble to be comfortable at the dentist!

admin — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 14:12:57 +0000

Over the past 6 years, we have continually improved the amenities and services we provide in our dental office to help make our patients more comfortable. We have adjusted what you see, smell and hear while you arrive at our office to eliminate as many of those previous memories of visiting the dentist as possible. We have also added small things like bottled water, coffee, fresh fruit, and other small snacks. While you are visiting as a patient we have warm neck wraps, pillows, blankets, and I-pod music. We have also found that many patients enjoy mild sedation with their dental appointment to reduce stress. At the end of your appointment, we have moist, warm towels to refresh your face and a piece of Ghiradelli chocolate to get the “dental taste” out of your mouth. In addition, if you would like, Traci or Julianne will send you with a rose to either brighten your day or share it with somebody else. Consequently, we are working very hard to change the perception about visiting the dentist and most of our ideas have come from our patients. If you have suggestions of how we could make your visit even more comfortable, please let us know. Dr. Carson Kutsch Albany Oregon Family Dentist www.drkutsch.com